Additively manufactured heat exchanger

Abstract

An additively manufactured heat exchanger is provided and includes first and second inlet headers which are interlaced with one another, first and second outlet headers which are interlaced with one another and a core. The core is interposed between a pair of the first and second inlet headers and a pair of the first and second outlet headers. The core includes first pathways by which a first fluid flows from the first inlet header to the first outlet header and second pathways disposed in thermal communication with the first pathways and by which a second fluid flows from the second inlet header to the second outlet header.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An additively manufactured heat exchanger, comprising:
 first and second inlet headers which are interlaced with one another;   first and second outlet headers which are interlaced with one another; and   a core interposed between a pair of the first and second inlet headers and a pair of the first and second outlet headers, the core comprising:
 first pathways by which a first fluid flows from the first inlet header to the first outlet header; and 
 second pathways disposed in thermal communication with the first pathways and by which a second fluid flows from the second inlet header to the second outlet header. 
   
     
     
         2 . The additively manufactured heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first and second pathways are each arranged in rows and columns of first and second individual pathways, respectively, and   the rows and the columns of the first individual pathways are respectively interlaced with the rows and the columns of the second individual pathways.   
     
     
         3 . The additively manufactured heat exchanger according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the first inlet and outlet headers each comprise a header component, a body connected to the header component and header fins arrayed along and extending from the body for association with each column of the first individual pathways, and   the second inlet and outlet headers each comprise a header component, a body connected to the header component and header fins arrayed along and extending from the body for association with each column of the first individual pathways.   
     
     
         4 . The additively manufactured heat exchanger according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 the body and the header fins of the second inlet header cooperatively encompass at least a portion of the body and the header fins of the first inlet header, and   the body and the header fins of the second outlet header cooperatively encompass at least a portion of the body and the header fins of the first outlet header.   
     
     
         5 . The additively manufactured heat exchanger according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 the bodies of the first inlet and outlet headers and the bodies of the second inlet and outlet headers have rounded exteriors and extend across a width of an upper portion of the core, and   the header fins of the first inlet and outlet headers and the header fins of the second inlet and outlet headers have C-shaped cross-sections and extend downwardly from the corresponding body along a height of a corresponding side of the core.   
     
     
         6 . The additively manufactured heat exchanger according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 the first inlet and outlet headers each further comprise stiffening fins arrayed between neighboring ones of the header fins, and   the second inlet and outlet headers each further comprise stiffening fins arrayed between neighboring ones of the header fins,   wherein the stiffening fins comprise beams perpendicularly oriented relative to the corresponding header fins.   
     
     
         7 . The additively manufactured heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , further comprising exterior structural reinforcements surrounding the first and second inlet headers, the first and second outlet headers and the core,
 wherein the exterior structural reinforcements have one of a triangular pattern, a rectangular pattern and a hexagonal pattern.   
     
     
         8 . The additively manufactured heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the core further comprises self-supporting core support structures. 
     
     
         9 . An additively manufactured heat exchanger, comprising:
 first and second inlet headers which are interlaced with one another;   first and second outlet headers which are interlaced with one another; and   a core interposed between a pair of the first inlet header and the second outlet header and a pair of the second inlet header and the first outlet header, the core comprising:
 first pathways by which a first fluid flows from the first inlet header to the first outlet header; and 
 second pathways disposed in thermal communication with the first pathways and by which a second fluid flows from the second inlet header to the second outlet header. 
   
     
     
         10 . The additively manufactured heat exchanger according to  claim 9 , wherein:
 the first and second pathways are each arranged in rows and columns of first and second individual pathways, respectively, and   the rows and the columns of the first individual pathways are respectively interlaced with the rows and the columns of the second individual pathways.   
     
     
         11 . The additively manufactured heat exchanger according to  claim 10 , wherein:
 the first inlet and outlet headers each comprise a header component, a body connected to the header component and header fins arrayed along and extending from the body for association with each column of the first individual pathways, and   the second inlet and outlet headers each comprise a header component, a body connected to the header component and header fins arrayed along and extending from the body for association with each column of the first individual pathways.   
     
     
         12 . The additively manufactured heat exchanger according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 the body and the header fins of the second outlet header cooperatively encompass at least a portion of the body and the header fins of the first inlet header, and   the body and the header fins of the second inlet header cooperatively encompass at least a portion of the body and the header fins of the first outlet header.   
     
     
         13 . The additively manufactured heat exchanger according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 the bodies of the first inlet and outlet headers and the bodies of the second inlet and outlet headers have rounded exteriors and extend across a width of an upper portion of the core, and   the header fins of the first inlet and outlet headers and the header fins of the second inlet and outlet headers have C-shaped cross sections and extend downwardly from the corresponding body along a height of a corresponding side of the core.   
     
     
         14 . The additively manufactured heat exchanger according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 the first inlet and outlet headers each further comprise stiffening fins arrayed between neighboring ones of the header fins, and   the second inlet and outlet headers each further comprise stiffening fins arrayed between neighboring ones of the header fins,   wherein the stiffening fins comprise beams perpendicularly oriented relative to the corresponding header fins.   
     
     
         15 . The additively manufactured heat exchanger according to  claim 9 , further comprising exterior structural reinforcements surrounding the first and second inlet headers, the first and second outlet headers and the core,
 wherein the exterior structural reinforcements have one of a triangular pattern, a rectangular pattern and a hexagonal pattern.   
     
     
         16 . The additively manufactured heat exchanger according to  claim 9 , wherein the core further comprises self-supporting core support structures. 
     
     
         17 . A method of additively manufacturing a heat exchanger, the method comprising coincidental operations of:
 building up layers of first and second inlet headers to be interlaced with one another by laser powder bed fusion (PBF-L);   building up layers of first and second outlet headers to be interlaced with one another by PBF-L; and   building up layers of a core interposed between a pair of the first and second inlet headers and a pair of the first and second outlet headers by PBF-L such that the core comprises:
 first pathways by which a first fluid flows from the first inlet header to the first outlet header; and 
 second pathways disposed in thermal communication with the first pathways and by which a second fluid flows from the second inlet header to the second outlet header. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the coincidental operations of the building up of the layers of the first and second inlet headers and the building up of the layers of the first and second outlet headers comprise building up layers of stiffening fins to be arrayed between neighboring header fins of the first and second inlet headers and the first and second outlet headers by PBF-L. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising a coincidental operation of building up layers of exterior structural reinforcements to surround corresponding layers of the first and second inlet headers, the first and second outlet headers and the core by PBF-L. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the coincidental operations of the building up of the layers of the core comprise building up layers of self-supporting core support structures by PBF-L.